BROUGHT TO YOU BY
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
the
Natalie
BASSINGTHWAIGHTE
Redfines ‘Selfish’
NEW AGE of
SELF-CARE
beauty
THE
BAG
NAT'S
NATALIE
PUTTING
myself first
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CONTENTS
Self-care, according to Natalie Bassingthwaighte
Everyday beauty
The new age of self-care
The difference a day makes
Why this busy powerhouse is finally putting herself first
The little luxuries that help Nat feel her best daily
How making time for self-care can be life-changing
Feeling good is no longer an option reserved for weekends
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to Natalie Bassingthwaighte
according to
Natalie Bassingthwaighte is finally putting herself first. Here’s why she’s made self-care a non-negotiable in her life.
INTERVIEW
A
s an actor, singer, host, and mum of two, you’d be forgiven for thinking Natalie Bassingthwaighte has very little (or no
“We all need to start sharing our vulnerabilities and our truth and our real lives so we feel like we’re not alone.”
LET GO OF THE NEGATIVITY
For some, the phrase “self-care” (and even the act itself) feels selfish, especially when it comes to our appearance, but Nat says the first step is realising that looking after ourselves serves a greater purpose. “Being a woman, there should be a holistic approach to feeling good about yourself and then radiating that out,” she says. “I need to do my hair… because it makes me feel better about myself. I do want to look after my skin
because it makes me feel better about myself. I do want to take care of my inside and outside. [Some things] make us feel better about ourselves and I don’t think we should feel bad about that.” Feeling guilty about taking a little “me-time” is something Nat is familiar with, with an invite to a retreat spurring her
to take a leap of faith and take a chance on herself. “I’d always wanted to do [a retreat] but I thought, 'How can I just take four days to myself? That feels so selfish’,” she says. “I think, especially as women, we feel as though we have to be at home with the kids, or that you’re not worthy enough to take time for yourself.
“But by doing that, I opened up a whole new side of myself that made me realise that if I don’t self-care, and don’t look after myself, then I can’t look after anybody else.”
time at all) for self-care. But taking better care of herself is something the 47-year-old says she’s now made a non-negotiable in her life, crediting a breakdown almost four years ago as the moment she realised just how important it was to put herself first. “I was overworked and stressed on all these levels,” she tells marie claire Australia. “I was just in a really heavy space, and I knew something had to give.” For the Dove ambassador, that meant “releasing things” that no longer served her, including selling two businesses and taking time to rediscover who she really was. “I’d always kind of worked, worked, worked… and then [my life] was all about being a mum… so I asked myself, 'What are the things I love and what are the things I need?’” she says. “I now know that taking time for myself makes me a better mum, a better friend, a better human. I think self-care should be a non-negotiable for everyone to make the world a better place.” Here, Nat shares her top three tips for how to put yourself first.
“We need to start playing again, like kids. It’s about not being afraid of failing, because who cares? Just don’t be afraid to try something new, because what’s the worst that can happen?”
These days, Nat is all about authenticity and honesty, and it’s an attitude that she wants to see reflected in her health and beauty products, too. “I love Dove’s ethos when it comes to making beauty a source of confidence, not anxiety,” she says. “I’ve started viewing using my everyday beauty and skincare products as a way to take a little moment of self-care and time for myself.” One of her everyday favourites? Dove’s Triple Moisturising Body Wash (now available in a 1.5L Refill Pouch) which combines microbiome-gentle technology with mild cleansers to help provide 24-hour nourishment, keeping skin feeling healthy and cared for.
IT'S ABOUT FEELING GOOD
MAKE THE TIME
Like so many of us, Nat has found herself getting caught up in the feeling that there simply isn’t enough time in the day for a moment to herself. But she’s found a new mindset that’s all about “letting go” of the idea that everything has to be perfect and realising that “self-care can’t wait”. “You don’t have to do ’all the things’… nothing bad is going to happen if I don’t do the washing, I can just do it tomorrow,” she says. “All of that stuff can wait but taking care of yourself can’t. You need to nurture yourself more than you need to do the load of washing. “I love a list, but sometimes the list just has to go out the window. That one thing that takes an hour can wait because you might really need that hour to yourself.” Nat also credits waking up just a few minutes earlier or pushing herself to go an early morning gym or Pilates class, with helping her prioritise herself. Another tip? “Stop the scrolling.” “Think of how of much time we spend on our phones… what if we used just 20 minutes a day doing something that’s self-caring instead?” she says. While she tries to put down her phone as much as possible, she’s also tried to fill her social
“Do you want a better life, do you want to be a better person and do you want to have more time? It feels so much bigger… but you can start with just waking up 10 minutes earlier to take that time for yourself.”
media feeds with things that motivate her, so when she does spend time on social media, it’s as empowering as possible. “Scrolling can get you into that rut of 'I’m not worthy, I don’t love myself enough’... I started unfollowing all of these people and pages that no longer served me,” she says. “Their lives seemed perfect, and it made me feel terrible about myself. Now, I fill my feed with motivational quotes, with real people telling real stories and being vulnerable. Now when I scroll, I get all those endorphins going!”
“I was never a real body moisturiser girl, but I always had dry skin – go figure! The Dove Triple Moisturising Body Wash feels like I am giving my body, mind and soul love all over,” she says. Even products that are needed for everyday use can leave you feeling great, too, like the Dove Advanced Care Deodorant. With a scent to suit every taste (think floral and
fruity, or fresh and clean), the formula – which includes caring ingredients like sunflower seed oil for a dose of extra moisturisation – leaves underarms feeling fresh, comfortable and cared for, all day long. “The Dove Advanced Care Deodorant is my non-negotiable!” she says. “I have to make sure I can get through the day, and in particular, my performances, feeling fresh. It’s a bit like brushing my teeth – good habits make for a good life!” And because looking after her hair makes her feel good, Nat ensures she incorporates caring and nourishing products into her haircare. “Feeling good about my hair is an important part of helping me feeling good about myself, too,” says Nat. “My hair tends to be over-styled on a daily basis and needs some extra TLC. Dove’s Intensive Repair Shampoo and Conditioner makes my hair feel like it has had a holiday from all of the styling.” Especially formulated for damaged hair, the shampoo and conditioner combine gentle cleansing power with the nourishing care hair needs, leaving it feeling softer and smoother while preventing 98 per cent of daily hair damage. “When you have good hair, you feel like a million bucks,” says Nat.
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Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo and Conditioner
Dove Triple Moisturising Body Wash
EVERYDAY BEAUTY
Natalie Bassingthwaighte believes looking after ourselves serves a greater purpose – here are her non-negotiables for radiating her inner health outwards.
Self-care doesn’t have to mean a week-long retreat or an expensive day spa (well, unless you want it to). For time-poor actor, singer, host, mum and Dove ambassador Natalie Bassingthwaighte, a more sustainable method of self-care is in the everyday acts of small indulgences. “I’ve started using my everyday beauty and skincare products as a way to take a little time for myself,” she says. Now, her focus is on being present and luxuriating in her daily rituals without feeling selfish or rushed.
Post-shower, Nat’s non-negotiable for daily confidence is Dove’s Advanced Care Deodorant. “I have to make sure I can get through the day, and in particular, my performances, feeling fresh,” she says. Deodorant might not be the first item you think of when it comes to luxury, but self-confidence is the foundation of self-care. “I love Dove's ethos when it comes to making beauty a source of confidence, not anxiety,” she says.
FRESH FEELINGS
A huge part of self-care for Nat is feeling good about herself, and if that means freshly washed and styled hair or a bright pop of colour on her nails, then so be it – she calls it “a holistic approach to feeling good about yourself and then radiating that out”, and believes it’s super important for women in particular, who tend to nurture others before they nurture themselves.
PUT SOME PEP IN YOUR STEP
“I end up having way more time if I just take five or 10 minutes to myself,” says Nat, explaining that enjoying her me-time means she’s steadier, more grounded and better able to calmly tackle the working day. Nat’s first choice is meditation, but don’t underestimate the benefits of taking a few minutes in the shower to enjoy the smell and silkiness of your favourite body wash and close your eyes under the warm, running water. A good body wash, says Nat, “feels like I am giving my body, mind and soul love all over”.
TAKE SOME TIME OUT TO SHINE
“Stop the scrolling,” insists Nat, and instead use your restless fingers to swipe your own skin. A minute or two with a gua sha tool does wonders for relaxing facial tension and stimulating skin, and applying a moisturiser to any spots on your body that feel tired or tight is a great way to connect with yourself and release some endorphins.
YOUR OWN TOUCH
THE NEW AGE
Self-care is no longer a luxury reserved for Sundays; it’s for every day. Period.
OF SELF-CARE
But the real shift happened when self-care moved from being just another thing on the to-do list to an innate, everyday practice. When we realised it wasn’t about what we did, but how we did it – unhurried, mindfully, in the moment. This was where the magic lay, turning the ordinary, everyday motions into something special. It’s taking a shower and lathering yourself carefully with Dove Triple Moisturising Body Wash, and feel the way it nourishes your your skin. It’s the extra time you spend working shampoo into a lather, or levelling up your Dove Intensive Repair Conditioner application with a nice long scalp massage that almost puts you to sleep. It’s the small things that make a big impact to our health – both body and mind. That’s how we care, the 2022 way.
“Suddenly, feeling good wasn’t just an optional extra, but essential to our wellbeing, like a superfood for the soul”
s Gen Zs/millennials, working hard was always part of our DNA. The need for busy-ness, to climb/achieve/girl-boss coursed so strongly through our veins that many of us were heading on a
BREATHE – but properly. Inhale through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth to switch on the calm vibes.
FOUR WAYS TO SELF-CARE DAILY
TAKE TIME to smell your body wash and feel the sensation of it, and the water, on your skin.
HAVE YOUR COFFEE sitting down. Don’t look at your phone; just enjoy the peace and the taste.
ADD A SCALP MASSAGE into your hair wash routine.
one-way path to burnout. And then along came two words that changed all that: self-care. At first, it seemed a little touchy-feely, maybe a bit woo-woo, and definitely indulgent. What do you mean, take time for you, without any goal? Where was the box to tick? But then, little by little, it crept into our lives. A #selfcaresunday mask here, an extra long bath there, maybe even an impromptu staycation if you were feeling crazy. And it felt good – really good. Hearts were calmer, breathing was easier, stress was more manageable. Suddenly, feeling good wasn’t just an optional extra, but essential to our wellbeing, like a superfood for the soul. And that was exactly what we needed – the perfect antidote to the last two years.
W
hile some people used lockdown to upskill in the kitchen or become regular
runners, I dedicated the long days, weeks, months (you remember!) to myself. I developed skin and hair routines with so many steps they would make Euphoria’s Cassie proud. And the results spoke for themselves. Once I emerged from lockdown, my skin and hair were red carpet ready. I knew it, and more importantly – I felt it. I promised myself I’d keep it up after lockdown lifted, but fast forward a year and between work, commuting to the office, social events, family commitments and the return to my busy lifestyle, my self-care could do with, well, a little more time and care! To test the positive effects investing
It can be hard to fit self-care into a busy lifestyle, but making time for yourself can be literally life-changing. Challenged to try a day of self-care and a day without, BREE PLAYER learns why it’s important to carve out time for yourself.
THE DIFFERENCE
A DAY MAKES
time and energy into your self-care has, Dove has challenged me to do a day with no self-care, followed by a day with. This is how it went:
DAY OF NO SELF-CARE
While my lockdown routines are now a distant memory, I haven’t completely abandoned my self-care; it’s just my 13-step skincare routine is now missing at least eight steps (or 10 on a bad day). Every Sunday night I scold myself and say I’ll do better this week, but life gets in the way. So it’s not a total stretch to eliminate all my self-care practices, even though the thought of not cleansing scares me a bit.
7.00am
My alarm goes off. On automatic pilot, I jump out of bed, exhausted and bleary-eyed after a busy few days in the office. I grab my cleanser and towel when I suddenly remember the challenge and realise that I have an extra hour up my sleeve without the need to wash and blow-dry my hair, look after my skin or put on makeup. I could use that time to do something useful, but an extra hour in bed wins. This no self-care lifestyle suddenly seems appealing.
8.30am
Damn it, I’ve overslept and am now running late for work. At least I can just throw on an outfit and leave.
9.45am
I arrive to work very late and looking like a not-so-hot mess. My colleague and friend makes a good-natured comment about me partying too hard the night before. She’s joking, but I can’t help but feel self-conscious about my dishevelled (and, if I’m honest, kinda dirty) hair.
1.00pm
To my absolute horror, I’ve been sent to a lunch event in place of my boss at a fancy Sydney restaurant. When asked, I almost feigned food poisoning so I could slink home and retreat back to my bed. With the challenge in mind, and a sense of duty to my job, I told myself turning up to one of Sydney’s swankiest restaurants, to a room full of primped and preened beauty editors, would be character building. At the very least it would make for a funny story.
3.00pm
I survived the lunch and am pleased to report that no one looked me up and down with disgust, like I was dreading. Although, I certainly wasn’t receiving compliments on my appearance either. When I saw a former colleague and word vomited about how embarrassed I was, she told me my hair really didn’t look as I imagined and to chill out and stop worrying. I felt foolish for caring so much, but I really didn’t feel like myself amongst this well-heeled crowd with nothing more than a swipe of deodorant on (I wasn’t giving that up!).
9.00pm
After a quick shower – you really do save time when you’re doing the bare minimum – I hopped into bed, very much looking forward to waking up and washing my hair.
DAY OF SELF-CARE
6.30am
Well-rested after an early night, I practically skipped to the shower clutching a beauty bag full of products. I was going to make this shower an event. I started with a few drops of lemon essential oil on the shower floor – when the hot water hits it, your shower becomes a sensory experience. Then I got busy. I doubled-cleansed my face, shaved my legs, did a full-body exfoliation, used a triple moisturising bodywash and then double-shampooed my hair with intensive repair shampoo, popped on a ten-minute hair mask, followed by conditioner.
I dusted off the gua sha and worked my way through my 13-step lockdown skincare routine. Like riding a bicycle, it was second nature, and to my surprise it really didn’t take much longer than my basic routine.
8.00am
Hair blow-dried and styled and a full face of makeup later, I was ready to go to work and damn, I felt good.
9.00am
I arrived on time, coffee in hand, and was greeted by our office assistant who exclaimed, “Wow, you look gorgeous today, have you done something new with your hair?” “I washed it,” I laughed, and played down the compliment, but I have to admit it was nice to hear.
12.00pm
At a staff meeting the compliments kept on coming. People really do notice your hair, I learned. I made a mental note to remind myself of that next time I thought I could push through less-than-clean hair with a mere spray of dry shampoo.
5.00pm
I attended a fashion event at a luxury boutique with our fashion editor as a last-minute plus one and couldn’t help but think back to lunch the previous day. Before we left, I touched up my makeup, spritzed on some perfume, and arrived feeling so much more confident than the day before.
Post-nightly skincare routine, I’m sitting on my bed after another self-care shower, with my hair up in a silk roll, sheet mask on, and because I’m being extra generous with my self-care today, I’ve popped on hand and feet masks. I’m feeling pretty fabulous and totally serene. As I reach for the TV remote, I have a sudden thought – and decide to put on a guided meditation instead. This is the life.
THE VERDICT
Well, what a difference a day makes. While it’s not surprising to discover clean hair and a fresh blow-dry adds to your confidence, I certainly wasn’t prepared for how self-conscious I would feel without it. I was also surprised to find that doing less for yourself doesn’t necessarily mean you have extra time up your sleeve, and an extra hour in bed didn’t improve my day as much as an extra hour focusing on myself and the rituals that make me feel good. While I won’t be able to give that level of commitment to my self-care every day, I am making myself a promise to carve out time to ensure I feel and look my best, without letting life get in the way. Because when you prioritise yourself, you’ve got more energy for those around you, and self-confidence is more valuable than an extra hour in bed.
